Rangers return to Europa League action this week and face a familiar foe in the shape of Malmo.
After winning the Scottish Premiership the season before, Steven Gerrard was frustrated at the club for not loosening the Ibrox coffers, however, much of it was of his own doing.
With the scores level on aggregate, the manager got his second half tactics wrong and Antonio Colak was the difference between the two sides, showing why Rangers signed the big Croat.
Where Rangers flops who faced Malmo are now
Gerrard had no excuse for the home leg with few injuries and a strong squad, but some questionable calls saw the Swedes come out on top.
This is where the flops of 2021 – the second leg – are now with Philippe Clement hoping that his squad avoids a repeat.
In goals was Allan McGregor, a player who started looking like he wished he had retired as a league winner.
That he continued for another season after this one still amazes such was his decline post Christmas.
Now retired and enjoying playing golf on a regular basis.
One of two current squad members who took part was James Tavernier.
After the defeats to Malmo, few would have expected him to end the season as the Europa League’s top goalscorer, make the team of the year and be a couple of penalties away from player of the tournament.
At left-back was Borna Barisic, fresh from international duty with Croatia, he had a stop-start season and soon lost his place to Calvin Bassey.
Six years after signing, Barisic left Rangers this summer to sign for Trabzonspor on a Bosman.
Connor Goldson was a regular feature during Gerrard’s tenure with Filip Helander and Leon Balogun rotating to good effect to break domestic defensive records the season before.
On this occasion, Gerrard got it wrong.
Helander had been outstanding in the first leg against his former club and even saw Gerrard brand his performance as Champions League level.
Gerrard then dropped him only for his replacement Balogun to be largely at fault for the two goals that Colak scored.
The big Swede is still playing in Cyprus with Omonia where he will come up against former partner Goldson who signed for Aris Limassol this summer.
The midfield needed work in the summer but only John Lundstram arrived.
With Glen Kamara suspended, Steven Davis was partnered by Scott Arfield and Joe Aribo.
The latter would end the season playing as an auxiliary striker whilst the two veterans would have their contracts extended.
Davis has since retired due to injury, Arfield returned to the UK with Bolton and Aribo is now with Southampton in the Premier League.
Gerrard made second Rangers selection in forward line
Another selection mistake of Gerrard was to pick Scott Wright ahead of both Ianis Hagi and Fashion Sakala.
It looked like Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos would make Rangers a lot of money that summer, instead, one has barely kicked a ball in the last 18-months and the other is back home in Colombia on loan.
After leaving Ibrox at the end of their contracts, it’s safe to say that they have discovered the hard way that the grass isn’t always greener.
Wright managed to play for four managers at Rangers but was eventually sold to Birmingham City this summer.
How he started a major European final still boggles the mind.
The class of 2021 felt like it was starting to need a refresh whilst Clement’s side of 2024 is only just getting going – hopefully they don’t make the same mistakes.
